Photo: Reuters The not-so-secret baby shower for the Duchess of Sussex has apparently occurred, with Gayle King and Amal Clooney among an intimate group of friends gathered at a swanky hotel on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Amal Clooney The smiling Meghan Markle has been surrounded by fans and photographers since news of her whirlwind trip to the city surfaced Monday. She has been spotted at several locations, including The Mark Hotel, the Met Breuer museum and Ralph Lauren's The Polo Bar, with decor that celebrates one of Prince Harry's favorite sports. Jessica Mulroney The 37-year-old duchess is due in late April. Abigail Spencer, a co-star on Meghan's former TV show "Suits," was among old friends

The Pakistani government has authorised its military to "respond decisively and comprehensively to any aggression or misadventure" by neighbouring India, as tensions soar between the nuclear-armed rivals. India has vowed a "jaw-breaking response" to a suicide bombing in the disputed Kashmir region last week that killed 42 Indian soldiers - the worst such attack since the start of an armed rebellion in 1989. Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan announced the order in a government statement released after a meeting of his National Security Committee on Thursday. It said Pakistan was "not involved in any way, means or form" in the attack which it said was "conceived, planned and executed indigenously".

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused the US of hypocracy for allegedly attempting to sell nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia while Washington tries to wreck Iran's nuclear programme. Zarif's comment on Twitter on Wednesday came after reports the administration of President Donald Trump is trying to bypass US Congress to advance the sale of nuclear power plants to Saudi Arabia. "Day by day it becomes clearer to the world what was always clear to us: neither human rights nor a nuclear program have been the real concern of the US," Zarif wrote. "First a dismembered journalist; now illicit sale of nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia fully expose #USHypocrisy," Zarif added, referring

The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) says it has "modernised" its dress code with the rollout of a new rule, allowing leggings and mid-thigh length compression shorts to be worn without a skirt or dress during matches. Although there was no prior rule prohibiting a player from wearing leggings without a skirt, the WTA said it "approved language to make its position explicitly clear". "We wanted to be progressive and make sure that we were current with where fashion is going and competitive-wear may be going," WTA CEO Steve Simon said in an interview, explaining the changes. Top female players, who are often seen wearing leggings or three-quarter length tights during practise, have welcomed the change.

The Iranian navy launched "large-scale" drills in the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman in a show of its maritime force amid escalating tensions with the United States in the region. Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi, commander of Iran's navy, said the manoeuvres began on Thursday and will run for a week. For the first time, the exercises will feature missiles launched from a submarine. Earlier this week, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani inaugurated the "state-of-the-art" and domestically produced submarine, Fateh (Conqueror), which the military said is capable of firing cruise missiles. The Fateh is equipped with torpedoes and a precision-firing system, and is able to stay underwater for up to